Vikings Legend Jared Allen Calls NFL's Roughing Rule 'Stupidest Thing On The Face Of The Earth'
Former Minnesota Vikings defensive end Jared Allen is not a fan of the NFL’s oft-debated roughing the passer rules.
Welcome to the club.
Allen, who announced his retirement in 2016, shared his disdain for the league’s overprotection towards quarterbacks during a recent appearance on the Bussin’ With The Boys podcast.
“It’s the stupidest thing on the face of the earth. It really is,” Allen told Bussin’ co-host Will Compton. “I just don’t understand. make the most money. They should assume the most risk, in my opinion.”
A veteran of 12 NFL seasons and a four-time All-Pro, Allen isn’t buying the NFL’s public stance that their flags are for protection purposes. “Come out and just be honest about it,” Allen added. “Don’t say you’re protecting it because of player safety. Cause it’s not player's safety, it’s player. Singular safety. You’re protecting quarterbacks, that’s all you’re doing.”
Well, let’s be honest – the man has a point.
Jared Allen spent six seasons with the Vikings. (Photo by Tom Dahlin/Getty Images)
Jared Allen Was Inducted In The Vikings Ring Of Honor In October
Allen, 40, stated that the roughing rules directly change the outcome of games because defenses can no longer rattle quarterbacks by hitting them hard. When Bussin’ With The Boys co-host and current Titans OL Taylor Lewan asked Allen if he thinks falling with all of your body weight on a quarterback is fine, Allen quickly responded: “One hundred percent.”
Looking and sounding every bit like he could still add to his 136 career sacks, Allen teed off on the toughness – or lack thereof – of the league’s signal callers. “If tackled the running back like , that’s fine. But you’re saying because it’s a quarterback?
“Quarterback’s a bigger wuss than everybody else, right?”
A five-time Pro-Bowler who famously mimicked lassoing cattle after sacks throughout his career, didn’t stop there. “It’s absolutely stupid.” Jared Allen continued.
Can we get Allen on the NFL’s rules committee? Or at the very least a spot at the Amazon Thursday Night Football desk? The Idaho State product unearthed more truths than an Elon Musk tweet.
In Addition To The Vikings, Allen Played For The Chiefs, Bears And Panthers
As Allen sees it, NFL players – quarterbacks included – know the risks and the rewards associated with the game they play. And because of that, Allen feels as though the game should be officiated equally.
“Everybody needs to assume the risk. Everybody’s making a truckload of money,” added Allen. “We all sign the dotted line on that contract. Nobody goes into the NFL or plays football with the idea that they’re never going to get hurt. And if they do, they’re full of it, they’re liars.”
Allen later added: “The assumed risk is there. And you diminish the product, in my opinion, the more you try to oversight it, oversight it, oversight it.”
Seven years since his last NFL game, Allen still knows how to make an impact.
Follow along on Twitter: @OhioAF